Observation device.



P. WABMINSKI.

OBSERVATION DEVICE.

APPLICATION map FEB. 15. me.

Patented June 18, 1918..

ZSHEETS-SHEET 1.

I J H, d 2 F fi w E m m m w T la F H M M NH n PIOTR WARMINSKI, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND OBSERVATION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1918.

Application filed February 15, 1918. Serial No. 217,385.

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Pro'rn WAniunsKI, a citizen of Russia, residing at Baltimore, and State of Maryland, have invented certam new and useful Improvements in Observatlon Devices, of which the following is as ecification.

h e primary object'of the invention is the pI'0V1S10I1 of a device especially adapted for taking observations in the time of war and being in the nature of a helicopter, and is arranged for ascending to the desired height and slowly returning to the earth when desided.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a means for observing the movements of an enemy, being arranged for elevating soldiers to the desired altitude and returnin them to the earth, provision being made or protecting the occupants of the device from the bullets of the enemy during the operation thereof.

A still further object of the invention is i the provision of a vertically traveling aircraft that is simple in construction and easy tomanufacture, the same being adapted for quickly ascending to great heights for purposes of taking observations and thereafter returning to the ground.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in its normal arrangement as positioned during an ascent;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view taken from an adjacent side thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the main portion of the device with theupper part removed;

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view taken upon a plane perpendicular to the plane of section of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal transverse sectional view through the device with the planes thereof extended as positioned when the device is descending.

My invention provides a bark-shaped observation car having windows 11 in the sides thereof while a motor 12 is positioned upon the floor 13 of the car provided with a power-shaft 14 centrally journaled upright through the car 10 and also through a tube 15 upon the top of the'car. An'elevatlng propeller or blade 16 is mounted upon the upper free end of the shaft 14 arranged with suitable braces 17, and it will be understood that during the rapid revolving of the propeller 16 by means of the motor 12, the device will be drawn-upwardly in the air to the required altitude for taking the observations desired.

Opposite wings 18 centrally project from opposite sides of the car 10 for assisting in preventing the device from drifting through the air and maintaining the travel thereof substantially vertical. Guide-wires 19 connect the wings 18 with the car 10 and similar wires 20 connect the outer upper corners of the wings 18 with the tube 15 adjacent the top of the latter.

Sustaining planes 21 are provided upon the opposite sides of the car 10 upon the sides thereof which are unprovided with the wings 18, the said planes being hingedly mounted to the car as at 22 adjacent the upper end of the latter. Quadrant-shaped racks 23 are carried by the inner edges of the planes 21 adapted for moving in adjacent side slots 24 in the sides of the car during the swinging movements of the planes 21.

Gears 25 in constant mesh with each other are journaled Within the car 10 between and in mesh with the arcuate toothed faces 26 of each pair of segment gears 23, as best illustrated 'in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The shaft 27 of one pair of gears 25 is provided with a sprocket-Wheel 28 having a chain 29 passing thereover and extending downwardly running over a similar sprocket- Wheel 30 positioned adjacent the motor 12.

A turn-crank 31 is provided for the sprocket-wheel 30 as well as a ratchet-wheel 32 having a retaining pawl 33. When the device ascends to the desired altitude, the occupants of the car 10 may take their observations by viewing the surrounding country through the windows 11 and when desiring to descend the motor 12 is stopped for discontinuing the rotation of the propeller 16, and upon releasing the pawl 33, the sprocket-chain 29 will be operated by the crank 31 for elevating the planes 21 until the same reach their horizontal positions. Outstretched stops the sidesof the car 10 centrally above the planes 21 adapted for engagement by the said planes when the same are in their operative sustaining ositions, as shown m Fig. 5 of the drawings. In this manner, the planes 21 will act as a form of parachute permitting the device to descend to 34 are carried by descent being gradual and capable of fur- I ther regulation by starting the propeller 16 at any time that the rapidity of descent becomes dangerous.

The observation device e is arranged by means of whichsoldiers may easily obtain a view of the enemy, the device being safe in its vertical travel through the air, while the car 10 is designed to be formed of metal or rendering the same bullet-proof so that the lives of the occupants are protected against the attack of the enemy. The device isexeeedingly simple in its construction, providin no unnecessary parts, being light in weig it, as well as strong in construction.

What I claim as new is 1. An observation device comprising an upright car having windows in the sides thereof, a, centrally arranged tube upon the top of the car, a motor centrally arranged upon the bottom of the car, a power-shaft for the motor centrally extending vertically through the car and tube projecting above the top of the latter, an elevating propeller upon the upper free end of the shaft, vertically positioned wings upon two opposite sides of the car, sustaining planes hinged upon the other two sides of the car above the plane of said wings, elevating means for the planes, and positioning stops for the latter adapted for engagement by the wings when in their outstretched horizontal arrangement.

2. A device of the class described comprising a car, elevating means therefor, sustaining planes hinged upon opposite sides of the car, segmental racks carried by said planes, meshing pinions operatively engaging the said racks, revolving means for the said pinions arranged within the car adapted for positioning the planes in their outstretched operative arrangement, outstretched stops upon the carabove the said planes adapted for engagement by the latter during the descent of the car through the air,, upright wings arrangedadjacent, the bottom of the car centrally positioned upon the sides thereof unprovided with said planes, and said wires for the said wings.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. PIOTR WARMIN SKI. 

